Deadline: 1-Feb-23
Education for Nature (EFN) invites applications from the current and next generation of researchers and practitioners to pursue graduate-level studies (master’s and PhDs) geared towards research that cultivates a better understanding of the place-based nature of food system transformation.
There is substantial evidence at the global scale of the urgent need for food system transformation, but less attention has been paid to how transformations toward more healthy and sustainable food systems might play out at the national level. This includes an understanding of the social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental dimensions of such a transformation in different countries and contexts.
The aim of the fellowship is to support individuals to develop evidence-based, innovative, and interdisciplinary research on food system transformation at the national level to build a better understanding of the country specific actions that need to be taken to transform food systems to improve human health and foster environmental sustainability. This research will catalyze the process of generating an improved understanding of the country-specific nature of food system transformation with a focus on the strategies that will support national and global efforts to create a more sustainable food future.
Focus Areas
- To develop evidence-based, innovative, and interdisciplinary research on food system transformation at the national level, the types of proposals that WWF is open to may cover the following themes, but examples are not limited to this list:
- Sustainable food systems and natural resource management
- Gender dimensions, equity, and inclusion in food systems
- Human dimensions in food systems; Equitable social and economic benefits to stakeholders
- Traditional and indigenous knowledge and culture in food systems
- Climate-resilient food systems
- Food systems in achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and global biodiversity goals
- Food safety and security, and nutrition security
- Diversification of sustainable food systems
- Fiscal policy and incentive-based management
- Role of technology, capacity development, innovation, and data in transforming food systems
- Community-based transformational leadership linked to sustainable food systems
- Agroecological practices as nature-positive production (scaling-up agroecological production)
- Access to markets: Incentives, regulations, and sustainable markets.
Proposals should adequately address the following key questions:
- How will/does the proposed work connect the nexus of food, with people and nature?
- Why is this research needed now? How does your current/proposed research address a food systems problem?
- What transdisciplinary approaches, experiential learning, and applied research approaches will your proposed research apply?
- What is the applicability and feasibility of the proposed research in your country? Would you be working with stakeholders in the implementation of projects related to your research topic?
- How can the proposed research leverage the WWF Network to sustain beyond the expected timeline?
- What is the relevance of your work? (What are the linkages of the proposed work to the national and regional food sector – its priorities, needs and stakeholders? How does the current/proposed research link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global agendas?).
Funding Information
- Applicants may apply for up to two years of funding and request up to $30,000 per year.
Eligible Countries
- Individuals from the following countries are eligible to apply. Please note that within eligible countries preference is given to applicants working in WWF priority areas.
- Belize, Brazil, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Dem. Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guiana, Gabon, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay; Peru, Republic of Congo, Suriname, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible.
- You must be a citizen and legal permanent resident of an eligible country.
- You must have at least two years of conservation-related work or research experience.
- You must have a demonstrated commitment to working in conservation in an eligible country.
- You must be enrolled in, admitted to, or have applied to a master’s or PhD program anywhere in the world.
- You must plan to begin your studies no later than January 2024.
- You must contact EFN if you are a WWF employee, consultant, or previous EFN grant recipient to determine eligibility.
For more information, visit https://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/russell-e-train-fellowships